A Family Here with You
by Weasley's Revenge
Summary: This time is different.  This time Finn will be here for her entire pregnancy.  Sequel to "A Part of You Here with Me".  Rachel's second pregnancy in 20 parts.  Finchel AU.  Soldier!Finn


**AN: **This was never supposed to have a continuation, but then inspiration struck. Sequel to "A Part of You Here with Me." Single longest thing I have ever written. Ever. I hope it's worth it :).

i.

It is amazing how fast CJ grows. Their lives take on a new pace and purpose, and they make it work like so many Army families before them. When the time comes for him to re-enlist he decides, with Rachel's encouragement and permission, to put his name in for candidacy in Special Operations. He makes the program when Cecilia is two years old.

The weeks he spent away at training are the hardest she's ever had to endure. Including the nine months she spent pregnant and alone, and the three months she spent with a newborn child and alone. Cecilia is just old enough to realize that daddy's gone, and to ask questions about it. While Finn is in North Carolina getting his ass kicked to be turned into a Green Beret, Rachel is stuck with a floundering career and a two year old at a military base in Delaware. Finn has always insisted that they live on base so that she's never truly alone.

ii.

Two weeks since Finn left for North Carolina and Cecilia comes up to her mother one morning—clearly having just crawled out of her crib to join Rachel in the king bed that feels much too small without Finn. And just like every other morning she asks the same question, "Dada back yet?"

Rachel is tired. So, so tired of feeling like her daughter will never stop asking if her father is back yet. But she pulls at one of Cece's wild curls and wraps her in warm arms pulling her under the covers and snuggling her to her own chest. "Not yet, Cece doll." It's Finn's nickname for their daughter. Because he calls Rachel "doll" and Cecilia either CJ or Cece doll.

"I want daddy," she can hear the small sniffle of a child's cry coming from her brave little girl. "Why he leave momma? Does he not love us anymore?"

Rachel squeezes her eyes shut so tightly that it almost hurts. She can't cry in front of Cecilia. "He loves us so much, baby. He loves us just like he loves our country. He'll be back before you know it Cece, and he'll grab you up in his arms and swing you around, and mommy and daddy with both cry a lot." She knows because it's happened before. He's been deployed and come back home twice since Cecilia's been born and of course there was the first time he met her, but this time is going to be different because all those other times Cecilia was too young to realize what was going on.

iii.

Rachel doesn't really understand the Green Beret training process or schedule. It's broken up into different sections, but Finn gets to come home periodically. She gets a call on Thursday saying that he'll be back on base until Sunday. He's been gone for a little over a month with barely any contact. It's been nothing like when he deployed normally. She's starting to wonder why she encouraged him to do this. She knows that his benefits are going to be amazing, and he really wants to do it. It's so important to him. And in the end, she will always support his dreams just as he's always been so supportive of her.

When she tells Cecilia that her daddy is coming home, the ecstatic two year old jumps into her mother's arms, and Rachel twirls her around as she giggles her copper-tinted ringlets bouncing softly around her face.

"Dada home! Dada home!" She keeps chanting, and it's one of the most adorable and heartbreaking things she's ever seen or heard.

iv.

Rachel's prediction comes true. He simply shows up back on their doorstep Friday afternoon around three. And for some strange reason he knock. She opens the door and drops the toy of Cecilia's she had been holding before launching herself into his waiting arms. At some point, she thinks that she will stop crying every time he comes home, but she knows she never will.

He kisses away her tears before his lips land on hers. She feels a small hand tugging at her leg then and pulls away from the rapidly heating kiss to see Cece, her tiny body wrapped around her father's leg. Finn slowly puts Rachel down bending over to pick up his tiny little daughter. "Don't cry Dada, you home now," she says, her tiny hand reaching out to wipe the tears off of his cheeks.

Finn hugs her to his fatigues the same way he has every other time he has come home, and Rachel puts her arms around their daughter and Finn sandwiching her between them. She knows that he's only home for the weekend, but they're going to make it count.

v.

Somehow, miraculously, Cecilia spends all afternoon playing with her father and is asleep by 8 PM on the dot. She keeps going on with her day as usual, washing the dishes until Finn comes up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist, "You're amazing, Rachel. You are so amazing."

"I don't want to cry more, Finn," She says the tears starting to fall anyway. She dries her hands on the towel over her shoulder and turns to him, "It's so hard without you," She confesses quietly from within the cage of his arms.

Finn puts a finger under her chin as her lower lip begins to tremble; he brings her lips up so that he can kiss her. There's something so bittersweet about kissing him right now. Because she only has him for three days until she has to give him back to the Army for another month. "Rachel, you are so amazing," he trails kisses down her neck, all the while murmuring how much he loves her.

He picks her up carrying her back to their bedroom continuously telling her all of the things that make her wonderful until she almost can't see through her tears.

She's sure that he must be exhausted from a month of intense training and playing with CJ all day, but he makes love to her with his everything, and by the time she cums, she's crying even harder gripping onto some of his new muscles as she mutters how much she loves him. Things are so far from perfect right now, but Finn will always be perfect for her.

vi.

People say that saying goodbye gets easier each time you have to do it. But "people" are almost always wrong, and it's a lot harder to say goodbye when you have a screaming two year old in your arms crying for her daddy. Finn leaves for the second part of his training at 6 AM on Monday morning, and then things go on as normally as they possibly can.

Cecelia keeps asking so many questions and is pouty for the rest of the day. Rachel can't help but sympathize with her tiny, dramatic daughter.

It's just so damn unfair to not have Finn home. He should be back for Christmas so Rachel holds on to that tidbit, and does her best to live life as normally as possible for Cecilia's sake.

vii.

Finn finishes all of his training and is officially a Green Beret 42 days after Cecilia turns three. It's been just over a year of barely seeing her husband. After the basic phases, he was gone for longer and longer periods of time, but seeing him with that beret on his head makes it all worth it.

She drives him home from the ceremony and Cecilia keeps chattering from her car seat about how her daddy is a green Frenchie now. And Finn keeps turning around to stare at her. She's grown so much in the past year, and Rachel's heart aches when she thinks about how much Finn has missed—how much he'll still miss as the years go on.

She grabs his hand, and their fingers interlace as they begin to hum along to the radio together just like old times. Rachel can't help but think things are finally perfect.

viii.

On all accounts, this is a lot better than the last time she found out she was pregnant. For one, Finn is on duty at the base working in conjunction with the MP and is not scheduled for deployment any time soon, and for another thing, they were actually trying to get pregnant this time.

Things have been so nice with Finn working something that resembles a normal day job and CJ growing more and more each day. It's almost like they're not a military family, and it's silly, but sometimes she actually forgets that she's married to a trained killer. One of the most fearsome men in the American military.

Because Finn will always be her Finn no matter what his career entails. She nearly jumps him as soon as he walks in the door. "Finn! It's positive! The little stick is positive, and I'm pregnant!"

He picks her up and spins her around, and she knows that this is how it should've been the first time around. "Rachel, oh God, doll. This is perfect." And they seem to be throwing that word around more and more.

ix.

She almost misses Deb as she's sitting in her doctor's office, but then Finn grips her hand tightly, and she's back in this moment with her husband finally at her side. This is his first time going through any of this. "It's so different when I'm actually here, babe," He leans over to whisper in her ear. Seeing her big, bad Army man acting like a kid in a candy store, she can't help but smile.

"I'm so glad you're here, Finn," She says as the nurse leads them to an examination room. She changes into the thin paper gown and sits up on the examination table. The doctor comes in, and she can tell that Finn is uncomfortable with another man being between her legs, but he still handles the entire situation admirably.

"Well, Mrs. Hudson, you are indeed pregnant," She almost feels like saying something sarcastic, but she's too busy being absolutely ecstatic that she's going to have a normal pregnancy with Finn at her side the entire time.

x.

Having Finn there for all of the firsts this time around means so much to her. He comes to her ten week ultrasound and acts like the sap he is when they hear the baby's heartbeat. Finn carries a small picture of the ultrasound in his wallet and can't stop touching her slowly growing stomach.

They tell Cecilia that she's getting a new baby brother or sister together, and she takes it about as well as you can expect a four year old to take it. There's a little bit of crying and some questions as to if they'll still love her, and Finn makes Rachel tear-up a little as he assures their little girl. "You'll always be my only Cece doll, sweetie."

"But it's gonna be different, Dada. Our family is you me and Mama," she twists one of her slowly darkening curls around her finger looking at her feet.

"It's not going to be any different, baby. Mommy and I have enough love in our hearts for both of you, and you'll always be our little girl." And then Finn hugs Cecilia to his chest and she murmurs in her child's voice that she's going to be the best big sister ever, and Rachel can't help but agree.

xi.

It's Finn's first pregnancy so he's not used to all of the little quirks. The first time he wakes up at three AM to find her praying to the porcelain gods, he gets really concerned until she stops throwing-up long enough to kindly explain that it's just what happens during the first trimester. He nods rubbing her back gently and holding her hair back for her. "I'm so sorry I made you do this alone last time, Rach. I swear I'll be here every second this time."

She entwines her fingers with his as she stands and brushes her teeth, "It's your job, baby. I understand it, but that doesn't mean I'm not looking forward to having you here." Wrapping her arms around his muscled torso, she buries her face against the soft cotton of his shirt, breathing in his scent. It's the same simple gray one that she wears when he's deployed. She's always loved the way he smells, and the way it clings to everything that they own even when he's away.

His strong arms wrap around her, and he puts his arms underneath her knees before carrying her bridal style back to their bed and gently pressing kisses against her face before tucking her in, "You are the most," a kiss to her forehead, "Amazing," her nose, "Perfect," her left cheek, "Wonderful," right cheek, "Caring woman ever." He finally places a sweet kiss on her lips. It isn't a request for something more. It's simply Finn showing her how much he loves her. It's the kind of kiss that relationships like theirs live on.

xii.

"Mommy you're fat!" It is said as a squeal with a grin from her rambunctious three year old. Cecilia is busy eating her Cheerios as Rachel does her best to get the rest of their breakfast ready before Finn has to leave without breakfast—again.

"Cecilia Jane," her husband cuts in before she can answer his arms wrapping around her in a hug from behind as he places a kiss on her cheek, "Your mother is not fat. She's pregnant. We talked about this, baby. Remember? Your little brother or sister is growing in mommy's belly."

"Did you get leave for this afternoon?" When Finn looks at her confusedly, she throws her hands up in exasperation, "The sonogram! Please tell me you didn't forget that we're finding out our baby's sex today."

He looks sheepish before bending down to kiss Cecilia's plump little cheek and picking her up, "How can you be mad when there's a face like this right here?" He tries twirling CJ around until she's giggling like mad.

"Finn Christopher Hudson! You promised me that you would be there. You promised that you would ask for leave so that you could be there!" The hormones have made her a little more than crazy lately, and she's still trying to stay vegetarian for now-knowing how Cecilia had been she'll be caving to the meat in less than a month this time around—and all of it combined is making her incredibly emotional and cranky.

"Shhh, shhh, Rach. Look, Collins likes me, and he can cover for me ok? I'll be there, baby. Take a breath." He covers the short distance in two long strides pulling her in for a hug. Cecilia nuzzles her head in her mommy's hair making the sweetest little noises of comfort, and it's all ok again because she loves her family, and everything is going to be fine.

xiii.

It's a boy. They're having a baby boy, and Finn managed to make it to the appointment, and she's just so _happy._ Cecilia is with the sitter so she and Finn decide to go the Applebee's for an early, celebratory dinner. Rachel is nearly ecstatic to find out that she's going to give birth to an adorable little baby boy. One who will hopefully look just like Finn, with russet colored hair and dimples and eyes the color of whiskey.

Finn still seems to be in a state of awe. He keeps sneaking glances at her across the table, and he doesn't even comment much when she orders a bacon cheeseburger because _really?_ His son wants some meat and cheese, and Rachel is done ignoring her cravings. When she's had enough of the silent treatment, she reaches across the table to gently grab his hand. "Baby, I'm still the same me. It's still the same baby growing inside of me. We just know that _it_ is a _him._"

At the touch of her skin, he is visibly startled, and looks up at her. "We're going to have a son, doll," a smile breaks out across her face as he says the words because, yes. Yes, yes, yes they're going to have a son.

Rachel nods squeezing his fingers tightly, "That's right, Finn."

"And you're eating meat. And cheese," He says finally realizing the burger that she's been devouring.

"How astute of you. I blame your son that is growing inside of me. He's broken me before Cecilia could. I was able to hold out for five months while I was pregnant with her." There's a quiet sadness that envelopes them when she mentions her other pregnancy, but she quickly interrupts it with, "It's fine, Finn. I actually don't mind bacon."

He laughs with her, and they both know that there's nothing they can do to change what happened in the past.

xiv.

The first time that they fight over names it's not really even a fight. She wants to name their son after his father, and Finn thinks that it's too much weight to put on a baby's shoulders. He offers a compromise, but she's adamant that Christopher needs to be part of their son's name.

Rachel's already gone about getting Carole's blessing to name the baby Christopher, but Finn won't budge. It takes a call from McKinley High to finally snap them out of the fight.

It's perfect actually. The name of the place and man that brought them together. And with the aid of a little bit of maternity lingerie she's able to convince him that Christopher is an _exceptional _middle name.

xv.

Rachel has been able to feel William moving inside of her for a few months before she's sure that Finn will be able to feel it. The first time she can feel what seems to be a tiny fist pressed against her stomach she gets very excited. They are lying in bed together, Finn fast asleep and his arms wrapped around her. "Finn," she whispers into the dark as he groans burying his head farther into her hair and making a noise that she assumes means he's listening.

She grabs his hand pressing it against the spot that William is pushing against her stomach. Rachel can feel his small fist pushing out again, and Finn jumps against her back now fully awake. "Is he…"

"He's kicking me… well actually I think that's his hand, so he's punching me. But he's moving. And I think he likes his daddy," They're both whispering in the dark, and the feel of him pressing the sweetest kisses across her shoulder as his hand slowly caresses the place where their son it hitting... the tears are starting to form in her eyes because everything is so perfect this time. So pristine. And the past doesn't matter anymore because he's _here._

xvi.

The only problem with Finn being able to feel William now is that it makes him feel super uncomfortable when they have sex. He hasn't had a problem with it up until now, and her hormones are making her super horny at the one point where Finn has decided to get squeamish about pregnancy sex. It's Saturday afternoon and her dads are in town and have taken Cecilia out for a granddaughter and granddaddies brunch and shopping spree after her baby shower.

They've gotten a lot of great things that will help a lot with the new baby, but the thing she's most interested in is the gift from Puck and Quinn – a book on sex during pregnancy and something that she sincerely hoped that Quinn had bought and not Puck. Because she does not want to wear lingerie picked out by Noah Puckerman, but at this point, that may be her only hope.

Finn is organizing all of the gifts they received when she approaches him, the book in hand. "Finn, _please._" She's never been one to beg for sex, but her body is so tense and keyed-up, and she just _needs_ Finn.

"But, Rach… what if I poke him. Like… babe you have no idea how fucking hot I think that you look when you're pregnant, but I just feel so…so… _weird."_

And she understands his hesitancy. She really does. But she also understands that if they don't have sex within the next 12 hours she is going to explode. "Finn. Hudson. Your son who you are so concerned about 'poking' is well within my uterus. Your penis only touches my vagina. And if you don't fuck me pretty soon I am going to have to touch myself. And I don't like having to do that when you're actually _HERE."_

"Whoa, doll, it's ok. I guess we can…" But her lips are on his before he can finish his thought.

And afterwards even he has to admit that pregnant sex is pretty awesome.

xvii.

Eight months pregnant, and he's been at her side every step of the way. Having Finn with her has made all the difference in the world, and she's not dreading her due date like she did with Cecilia. Because she knows that Finn is going to be in the delivery room to hold her hand this time. Finn is going to be the one who drives her home from the hospital while she sings lullabies to William in the back seat. Finn is going to help her with midnight feedings, and help her figure out her breast pump.

Finn's going to be there when everything is too much and she collapses in tears.

But for right now everything is perfect, and they've painted the spare room green, and Finn is slowly putting together all of the baby furniture. Cecilia has even been helping her daddy, and it's the cutest thing Rachel has ever seen. She knows that Cecilia is going to make a perfect big sister.

xviii.

Two weeks before she is due the phone rings in the middle of the night. She's been sleeping lightly for the past week because William has taken to sitting on her bladder during the night, and she's had to run to the bathroom a few times each night, so she's semi-conscious and can feel Finn getting up to answer the phone. There is some harried whispering before she can hear Finn come back to their bedroom.

He stands at the foot of their bed, and she can tell that he's just staring at her. Rachel cracks her eyes open and looks at him in the half-light of the moon that is filtering through their blinds. The expression on his face is enough to make her breathe catch in her throat, and he speaks before she can ask him what's wrong. "My unit… Oh God I'm so sorry. Rachel—I can't believe this is happening. There's a… a situation. And I have to go baby. Tonight."

Her brain is just sleep-addled enough that for a moment she doesn't understand. And then the realization rushes in, and the tears prick in her eyes. He's leaving her again. The Army is taking him from her. Again. "I called my mom. She'll be here in the morning, doll." She sits up in bed, which is no easy feat with the large growth of her stomach and stares at him.

They stay like that for an indeterminable amount of time as the tears slowly leak down her face. "I love you. Come home. Don't forget to say goodbye to CJ."

"Oh, Rachel," she can hear the tears in his voice as he leans down to kiss her sweetly the salt of their tears mingling on their lips. "I love you. I love you so much," he kisses the tears off of both of her cheeks with each statement. "I promise you. I will do everything in my power to be back. I am not missing this again."

"Go be a hero, Finn," she closes her eyes tightly pulling in a strained breath. It is his job after all.

xix.

Carole shows up just as he promised. Cecilia is ecstatic to see her grandmother, but Rachel is still in a state of shock at how abruptly he'd had to leave last night. She's tired from staying up with him and helping him pack before making love into him into the morning as he pushed off going to the center of base to deploy.

She waved goodbye to him from the front porch at four in the morning.

Her eyes are still puffy from crying when Carole pulls her into an absolutely perfect hug. "The Army is a bitch isn't it, honey?" And for making her laugh Carole is the best mother-in-law ever.

xx.

She goes into labor at four o'clock in the afternoon exactly one day after her due date. Rachel hasn't heard a thing from Finn since he shipped off on his secret mission. He hadn't even been able to tell here where he was going except that it involved hostages. It's fitting that Carole drives her to the hospital again.

In some ways it's less upsetting this time around. Her dads bring Cecilia in to visit around six and by eight, she's only four centimeters dilated. Rachel starts telling the nurse about Finn. About how he's a Green Beret and got called away. She ends up crying again as Carole rubs gentle circles on her back the same way that Finn does when he wants to comfort her.

At midnight, she's still only five centimeters and getting antsy. The longer her labor lasts the stronger her hope gets that he's going to show up. Around one AM, she manages to fall asleep for a few hours.

Rachel wakes with a start to the feel of a calloused hand caressing her face. It must be a dream because when she opens her eyes Finn is there. "It's not funny," she says, rolling over and wincing as a contraction rolls through her body.

"It's me, Rach. I made it." And her eyes snap open because even her subconscious wouldn't be this cruel, and is it—_it's really him. _

Rachel shoots up in her bed, wincing because _fuck_ that contraction hurt like a bitch. Her hand reaches out to touch his face, and the roughness of his stubble confirms it for her. She throws her arms around his neck her belly getting in the way. "You're here. You made it." Rachel really needs to learn how to stop crying at every little thing because it's getting really old, but she can't stop the tears that roll down her cheeks because _he's here! He made it home just in time._

And watching Finn coach Cecilia how to hold tiny William Christopher Hudson as the four year old sits on his lap is nearly enough to make her heart burst. Finn looks up from their children to smile at her, and she swears that he's the best ever, the best father, the best husband. And he mouths a quick "I love you," as she watches her young family—the proudest wife and mother ever.

**AN:** And that is the real end of this story. Thanks for staying on for the ride. Reviews are love :D.


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